I have a customer who likes a particular font from Gerber, Chrome effect, but not the brush chrome one. It is £70 +VAT to buy, but I was wondering how to create the effect so it can but used on any font, like import the chrome effect overlay the lettering and weld, then print on the Gerber.

If you register at adobe.com in the download area there are free filters and effects etc to download for photoshop and illustrator.
If you go to the styles there are free styles and some of these are chrome/metal effects (plus many others mother of pearl etc etc) and some are stunning.
Free to download better with broadband as you tend to download quite a few.